Missed garbage pickups are leaving waste on the streets of Puerto Vallarta again, with complaints now coming from Ixtapa Centro, Del Mar, Ramblases, and Villa de Guadalupe.
Waste bags have been reported outside homes, shops, corners, and empty lots. Some neighbors say the problem has lasted several days at a time, enough for animals to tear through bags and spread trash into the street.
A new wave of citizen complaints published Monday also revived concerns about El Gavilán, the disposal site that was recently shut down in part after a fire.
Missed pickups spread through neighborhoods
In Ixtapa Centro, one neighbor said collection has become erratic. “The truck comes one day and then stops coming for five days or more,” the complaint said.
Another report from Del Mar pointed to several days without pickup on Calle Victoria. In Ramblases and Villa de Guadalupe, neighbors also described trash left in public areas while waiting for collection crews.
That is not a cosmetic problem in June. Puerto Vallarta is already in the humid stretch before heavier summer rains. Bags left too long split open quickly. Dogs, cats, birds, and rats do the rest. Loose waste then moves into gutters, canals, and low drainage points when storms arrive.
The city has been dealing with unreliable service since its collection system changed this spring. PVDN previously reported on trash delays spreading to more colonias after the municipality took on more direct responsibility from its former private operator.
The service problems came during a larger dispute over money. In April, Puerto Vallarta was still facing a trash debt dispute tied to the former concession, while trying to keep daily routes running.
El Gavilán complaints add pressure
Neighbors near El Gavilán say trucks are still entering and dumping waste there, even after the recent fire and closure order.
“They said there would be constant surveillance, but they keep entering and dumping trash as if nothing had happened,” one complaint said.
Jalisco environmental authorities imposed a partial, temporary closure at El Gavilán following the late-May fire. PVDN reported last week on the partial closure of El Gavilán and the pressure it placed on Puerto Vallarta’s waste operation.
Local reports have said the closure was linked to questions over the site’s environmental authorization. The permit was reported as expired since December 2025. The closure was described as partial, leaving room for some operations while the case was under review.
Has your area missed collection days, leaving trash on the streets? Document the nearest cross street, colonia, date, and time. Photograph the pile before bags are moved or opened. Report repeat missed pickups to municipal services with the same location each time.
Until collection becomes more predictable, bags should stay closed and off the street until close to the expected pickup time. That will not fix the route failures, but it can reduce torn bags, odors, and waste washing into storm drains during the first heavy rains.
